For Sanders supporters, unity not simply about falling in line

Hillary Clinton secured the Democratic presidential nomination last week and became the first woman to lead a major party in the general election, but she still has some work to do convincing supporters of her Democratic rival Bernie Sanders to fully embrace her campaign.

Beaton recently was elected to represent Sanders as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. How Clinton approaches the convention will go a long way toward creating Democratic unity, he said.

Sanders supporters want to see reforms made to the primary system, including less of a role for superdelegates who are not beholden to the will of voters. They also want some say over the Democratic platform.

“We simplify everything around a word like unity,” said Beaton, who works as the manager for WSLR, Sarasota’s community radio station. “Unity means we come to the table and we agree. That means that Hillary comes to the table and Bernie comes to the table and they agree on certain things and that creates unity. It’s not like: ‘Ok I’m behind Hillary and we go home.'”

Still, Beaton expects most Sanders supporters to eventually get behind Clinton, if only because they are motivated to beat GOP nominee Donald Trump.

There has been talk that some Sanders backers would rally around Trump because they share an anti-establishment message. Beaton knows these people. They are not actively engaged in party politics and want to see profound changes in the system.

“There are a lot of individuals I know who talk that kind of talk,” Beaton said.

Trump made a direct appeal to Sanders supporters last week, saying in a speech that “we welcome you with open arms.” Whether Trump can make serious inroads with these voters remains to be seen.

With time and the right overtures from Clinton’s team to Sanders’ supporters, Beaton expects to put the primary behind him and “work hard for Hillary.”

“I think there is an anti-establishment movement, and Hillary represents an establishment,” Beaton said. “But I believe Trump represents an establishment, too, a worse establishment. I really think people get confused and think Trump is some independent rebel.”

Zucker meet-and-greet

Republican Sarasota County School Board member Caroline Zucker is getting some re-election help from a prominent Democrat.

Murray Blueglass, the president of the Longboat Key Democratic Club, is hosting a meet-and-great for Zucker at his home this week.

“Our school children need dedicated people with integrity like Caroline Zucker to carry on the good works she has done and will continue to do for Sarasota children,” Blueglass wrote in an email invitation.

Zucker is facing another Republican, Teresa Mast, in the School Board contest.

The race is supposed to be nonpartisan, but Zucker had drawn the ire of some GOP school choice advocates.

Zucker is president of the Florida School Boards Association. The group initially joined with the state’s largest teacher’s union in a lawsuit challenging Florida’s tax credit scholarships, a voucher-like program that allows businesses to reduce their tax bills by paying to send children to private schools.

Many Republican leaders in the state strongly support the scholarships and have steadily worked to expand them in recent years. The FSBA eventually pulled out of the lawsuit.

If school choice supporters heavily back Mast, Zucker may need all the help she can get, including from Democrats.

Gruters and GOP platform

The foundation of the Republican Party rests in Joe Gruters’ hands.

Gruters, the chairman of the Sarasota GOP, is one of two delegates to the Republican National Convention from Florida chosen to sit on the convention Platform Committee.

The 100 individuals on the committee — two from each state — are tasked with crafting the party’s platform for the next four years.

Gruters calls the platform the party’s “foundation” and said he is excited to have input on the document.

His philosophy: “Be as inclusive as we can but also stick with our guiding principles in a way that will unite people from all backgrounds.” He’ll also be representing Trump’s interests on the committee. Gruters is the co-chairman of Trump’s Florida campaign.

Fundraising totals

Democrat Frank Alcock raised $6,055 in the first month since joining the race for a state Senate seat covering Sarasota County and northern Charlotte County.

That put Alcock ahead of some Republican opponents for the month of May, but well behind the top fundraisers in the race.

State Rep. Greg Steube was the May fundraising leader in the Senate contest. He collected $18,480, and a political committee backing his campaign raised $12,000. Former state Rep. Doug Holder raised $11,780, and a political committee backing his campaign collected $10,000. Former Sarasota County Commissioner Nora Patterson raised $6,168, while state Rep. Ray Pilon raised $4,455.

Holder has the overall fundraising lead, with $371,081 in cash on hand between his campaign and the committee supporting him.

The race is quickly becoming one of the most expensive in the state. The five Republicans and two Democrats have raised nearly $1.3 million, with Steube and Holder collecting the bulk of the money.

Republican Alex Miller ramped up her fundraising for the District 72 state House race considerably last month, collecting $28,907. Miller now has $75,427 in cash on hand. Her Democratic opponent, Edward James III, raised $4,190 in May, and a political committee affiliated with his campaign raised $23,500. James and the committee now have $259,497 in cash on hand.

The other Republican running for the House seat covering northern Sarasota County, John Hill, loaned his campaign $5,000 in May.

Events

■ The Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations meets Monday at 7 p.m. at the Sarasota Garden Club. Candidates for three County Commission seats have been invited to participate in a public forum. The event is free and open to the public.

■ The Lakewood Ranch Democratic Club meets Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall. The group will hold a roundtable discussion on Democratic unity heading into the general election.

■ The Democratic Women’s Club of Manatee County meets Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at the IMG Golf Club clubhouse. Daniel Coppinger with Centerstone of Florida will talk about the heroin problem in Manatee County. For reservations email mcmduda@aol.com or call 941-708-0713.

■ The Sarasota Tiger Bay Club meets Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at Michael’s on East. A panel of experts will discuss affordable housing. The cost is $23 for members and $28 for guests. For reservations call 941-925-2970 or email sarasotatigerbayclub@verizon.net.

■ The Lakewood Ranch Republican Club meets Friday at 11:30 a.m. at The Ranch Grill. Americans for Prosperity’s Manatee County field director Karena Morrison will discuss the group’s legislative scorecard. Lunch is $20. For reservations call 941-322-9164 or email sic@mailmt.com.

Last modified: June 11, 2016
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